Festivals are events celebrated to mark a social, ethnic or religious milestone of a community. They are observed as a tribute to a momentous occasion in history, where a great victory was won or a calamitous moment was averted. They often serve as a reminder to the newer generations of the sacrifices and hardships endured by the early members of the community.

Food is often a central theme in the celebrations of many festivals, underlining our agrarian origins and how agriculture played a central role in the advancement of the human race by taking away the major worry and preoccupation of having to search for food on a daily basis, which allowed humans to evolve into an advanced society that we are today.

The central message of most belief systems in the world is the same: firstly, to be a good human being and to help people around you; and secondly, ensure victory of good over evil. There are many paths to the same eventual truth. As societies evolve, the religious connotations of the festivals are obscured and people from all walks of life begin to take part enthusiastically in the festivities of the others. Christmas is one such festival, which is celebrated by every community and in every part of the world.

One way to celebrate festivals is to plan lots of fun activities. Another way of celebrating a festival is by going the traditional way and use the occasion to follow traditional practices, reinforce moral values, spread happiness, help others, and strengthen family ties.

Celebrating by mixing fun with philanthropy and taking time to ensure everybody is a part of the festivities is probably what most of us do. So how do we observe the festivals, in the spirit they are meant to? Christmas is a good time to make some fundamental changes to our life.

• Make a pledge: Give your life a sense of purpose, and discover the joys of giving. It could be as simple as clearing your wardrobe and giving away that extra pair of clothes to a homeless person. Most of us buy more things than we actually need.

• Offer your time: Time is precious and there is no nobler gesture than offering your time to your community, an orphanage or an old age home.

• Teach your kids to share: Children learn from their parents. When children learn to put their own interests after that of others, parents can rest assured that they are on the right path. What they have learnt when young will stay with them for life.

• Strengthen family values: When we decide to do something for others, it would also be a good time to assess how we as a family are functioning. Take some time off and see if your partner and your children are receiving your attention and time.

Good neighbourly relationship: The pace of modern life means that we do not even care who stays next door. This Christmas reach out to your neighbours and see the  difference it can make to your life.

Christmas is probably the most popular and widely celebrated festival in the world. The celebrations transcend the boundaries of religion, creed, nationality and every other artificial distinction. There is a positive energy in the air, there is a sense of camaraderie among people on the street and there is new hope and anticipation about what the new year has in store for us.

The Yuletide spirit is all about reuniting with family and friends, exchanging gifts, baking cakes and pastries, doing random acts of kindness to strangers, holding community parties, and generally spreading happiness and good cheer. The family is an integral part of the celebrations and let us see how we can make the Christmas party this year a memorable one for the family!

• Bake Cookies: Cookies and Christmas go hand in hand. Involve the entire family, especially kids, in the making process. Kids can decorate the cookies to their hearts’ content and get really creative about it. The same goes for cakes and gingerbread.

• Campfires: Ah, time spent around campfires are what christmas party legends are made of. You can even invite friends and neighbours over. The crackling fire in the cool outdoors makes for an ideal setting for some old-fashioned storytelling and singing.

• Christmas Tree Decoration: The most common christmas activity can be a lot of fun when the entire family is involved in the activity. Get creative, pull a few pranks and play some harmless practical jokes on each other while you are at it.

• Drive Around Town: Get into your car or SUV and drive around town, checking out Christmas lights and decorations. Have loads of ice cream at your favourite place. The sheer buzz of the Christmas season will make you thankful for having a great family.

• Visit an Orphanage / Old Age Home: One of the oldest Christmas traditions is to share with the less privileged folk. Collect money and clothes throughout the year for the purpose. Discover the joys of giving and make it an integral part of your family tradition.

• Watch a Christmas Movie: There is nothing like catching a classic Christmas movie with family and friends. Arrange for loads of food and popcorn. Some great choices are Miracle on 34th Street, A Charlie Brown Christmas, Elf, and It’s a wonderful Life.’

• Go Down the Memory Lane: What better way to reaffirm and renew your commitment to each other. Dig into your collection of old family photos and home videos. Catalogue them, digitize them and make every effort to preserve them for posterity.

The first true test of the strength of the relationship between a man and a woman is parenthood. With the child, comes an enormous responsibility for which the young parents may or may not be ready. Many new parents are inexperienced in dealing with the demands of parenthood.

First and foremost, men should understand that, in the modern scenario, raising a family is a shared responsibility and not that of the mothers’ alone. In cases where support from one’s family is lacking, parenthood can quickly overwhelm most parents, especially the mothers.

With some careful planning and sharing of parental duties, it need not be so. One can turn adversity into strength with a bit of understanding and respect for each other’s emotional needs.

You will most certainly recall the struggles of raising a baby long after your child has grown and ceased to be dependent on you. The memories of a shared difficult past help nurture your future.

Here’s some much needed comfort for new mothers and tips to deal with some inevitable moments of parenthood when you are left to deal with those ‘what next?’ moments.

• Is my child getting enough breastmilk?

One of the most sensitive topics going around and the one that stresses out the mothers the most. It is true that the child must be breastfed as the mother’s milk is the safest food a baby can have and it also helps boost the immune system. But worrying constantly based on what others around you are saying, can actually affect the milk production adversely. So as long as the baby is gaining weight, you have nothing to worry about.

• Why does a baby throw up after breastfeeding?

Babies usually throw up after breastfeeding, but as long as it is infrequent and in small quantities, there is nothing to worry about. However, if the baby is not gaining weight or experiences pain and discomfort, consult your doctor immediately.

• What position should the baby assume while sleeping?

It is highly recommended to make the baby sleep on her back or sideways using a firm mattress that does not shift easily. This will help minimize the risk of the baby suffocating.

• What do we do when the baby cries non-stop?

Babies usually express their feeling through crying. They could be hungry, tired, sleepy or even sick. Rely on your knowledge of the baby’s behaviour to find out the reason for the wailing. If your usual methods of pacifying don’t work, consult your doctor.

• When will the baby start sleeping during normal hours?

That’s a million dollar question every new sleep-deprived mother nursing her infant would love to know answers for. The answer is you will have to be just patient for her to grow up. The best a mother can do is synchronize her sleep with that of the baby’s!

Disclaimer

The aim of the article is to be informative in a general way. DO CONSULT your doctor and get your child examined at all times, without any exceptions.

Parents constantly worry about the type of diet to adopt for their children. They want to know what diet is best for their kids – vegan, vegetarian, meat and poultry based diet or a combination of all of them. They are aware that a child’s physical and mental development is completely dependent on what their diet consists of during the formative years.

As a rule of thumb, food needs to be fresh and organically grown using natural manure and pesticides. The packaged food products need to be free of additives, chemicals and preservatives.

Let us look at the ill-effects of wrong diets and risks the unsafe food products pose to our health.

• Fertilizers and Pesticides: Traces of chemicals such as lead and mercury in our food can interfere with physical and mental growth of children.
• Food Adulteration: This patently fraudulent trade practice is punishable by law. A common example is adulteration of milk using urea, starch and formalin.
• Preservatives and food colours: Additives and chemicals used to make packaged food items have a longer shelf life are harmful to health and so are the food colours.
• Overeating: The rising economic prosperity is being matched by a corresponding rise in obesity. If not checked, obesity may lead to heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
• Vitamin deficiency: Food deficient in essential vitamins can lead to night blindness and diseases such as scurvy and rickets.
• Junk food: Fast food is high on calories but offers little nutritional value.
• Other deficiencies: A protein or carbohydrate deficient diet is harmful to health.

So how do we choose the type of diet and stay away from the dangers disguised as food? The answer lies in going natural as Mother Nature has all the answers for our queries.

Let us what nutrients today’s children are deficient in and the ways to incorporate them in our daily diet. Also given below are some of the food items they are found in:

• Calcium: Vital for developing bone mass. Found in cheese, soy milk and cereals.
• Vitamin E: Good source for antioxidants. Found in spinach, nuts, and avocado.
• Fiber: Lowers risk of heart disease and diabetes. Found in fruits, oatmeal, and lentils.
• Potassium: Helps maintain blood pressure. Found in bananas, milk, and fish such as cod.
• Iron: Important for brain development. Found in shrimp, chicken, and whole wheat bread.

In addition, it helps to explain to the children the benefits of following a balanced diet, avoiding junk food, eating moderately, exercising regularly, spending time outdoors and getting enough sleep at regular hours.

Disclaimer: Choosing what food to eat is a matter of personal choice. This article is written with the aim of providing general information. Please consult a dietitian or your doctor to get a professional opinion and to design a diet that is suitable for your child.